Probation Officer

Role Responsibilities

Do you thrive in a challenging and dynamic work environment? Are you interested in playing an active role in offender rehabilitation and community safety? Then our Probation Officer roles are for you!

Using your advanced interpersonal and communication skills, you will conduct investigations, prepare reports, and attend court as required. In the community, you will conduct field visits and liaise with local Police, Courts, and Correctional Centers as required. You will build and maintain positive relationships with community counselling and programming resources, working with systematic barriers that affect individuals and community, and will promote a positive image of probation in the community. Superior time management and prioritization skills are imperative to effectively complete case management activities.

As the ideal candidate for any Probation Officer position within Community Corrections branch, you will possess:

• A desire to create safer communities and apply effective practices in community supervision (EPICS).
• Proven knowledge and experience in effective case management.
• Superior time management and organization skills.
• The ability to prioritize competing workload pressures in an effective manner.
• Strong ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with a variety of teams within the workplace, community and other government ministries/agencies. 
• Demonstrated ability to gather, analyze, interpret and process information for investigative and casework processes.
• The ability to adapt quickly and adjust to change; strong problem-solving skills, and strategic thinking resulting in forward-thinking solutions.
• The ability to communicate professionally and objectively using a broad range of interpersonal communication styles.
• Thorough knowledge of applicable legislation, as well as the ability to follow and apply policy.
• Knowledge and ability in working with socially marginalized individuals and victims of trauma or intergenerational abuse as well as working with a trauma informed approach.
• A self-starter mindset with the ability to work with little guidance.
• Personal resiliency and decision making skills.
• Own transportation to travel into the community to collaborate with community stakeholders.

The Job Description is provided for further details on this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to gather information from varied sources, analyze and interpret information to formulate reports and make decisions related to case planning.
• Agility: Ability to prioritize competing workload pressures in an effective manner and contribute to the organizational goals.
• Drive for Results: Sets and accomplishes goals and priorities in order to deliver outcomes consistent with departmental objectives and directives.
• Building Collaborative Environment: Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with a variety of teams within the workplace, community and other Government ministries/agencies to meet client and ministry goals and objectives.
• Developing Networks: Ability to interact positively, build relationships and work effectively with others.
• Developing Self & Others: A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.

Qualifications

Correctional Service Worker 1: Two-year diploma in a related field plus two years related experience; or equivalent as described.

• A related one year certificate and three years of related experience.
• Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of one year of education for one year of experience; or one year of experience for one year of education. 

Correctional Service Worker 2: University graduation in a related field plus 2 years related experience; or equivalent as described below.

• Two year diploma in a related field plus 4 years related experience; or 
• Completion of the in-service Criminal Justice Certificate plus 5 years related experience (applicable only to employees who have completed the certificate prior to it being discontinued on December 31, 2017).

Related education:

All formal completed education will be considered as relevant for purposes of meeting the Minimum Recruitment Standards.

Related experience:

Any combination of roles that demonstrate the following may make up the related experience:

• Experience in conflict management.
• Experience in customer/client or stakeholder relations.
• Experience in investigations or audits (focus is non-financial).
• Experience in a law enforcement or criminal justice environment.
• Experience providing guidance, instruction, intervention or social, behavioural or medical support services to individuals or groups.

Assets:

• Experience working directly with clients or inmates within a correctional or custodial setting.
• Directly related education (degree or diploma with a focus on human or social services/sciences).
• Experience providing services to justice-involved or other vulnerable individuals.
   

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

This competition will be used to fill one temporary position (12 month term) with the possibility of extension.

This competition may be used to fill future temporary and permanent Probation Officer positions in Lac La Biche, Alberta.

Travel within the community may be necessary, therefore reliable transportation and a valid Class 5 Driver’s License is required.

Successful candidates will be required to complete pre-employment checks including fingerprint based criminal background checks and academic checks.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP)  
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.